Handling Change
by fegs
Summary: Isaac isn't quite sure how to deal with the sudden attention, and it doesn't help that Jenna is acting so cold.


Hi guys! So it's another valeshipping one-shot from me! This one takes place back when our original heroes were still young, young being eighteen.

So I have some things to say first about this fic:

Originally this one-shot was actually planned to be a novel. I actually have the second chapter finished, but I chose to discontinue the novel idea because I've got something else I've been working on that I'm a lot more fond of.

Also, since this was originally plotted as a novel, I had to change the last half of this. This entire one-shot is a sweet thing, but back when it was the first chapter to a longer story, the second half of this chapter was really dark.

I hope that all made sense. Anyways! I also just wanted to add maybe I will get back to the original storyline of this and begin writing it as a novel, but if that were to happen it wouldn't be for a very long time.

* * *

**Handling Change**

Back before everything happened in the past year, he often enjoyed attending his town's many festivals. Now he found himself wanting to rather be along the edge of Kalay's town square. That was the place he used to stand a few years back. This time, he was busy being fought over by several girls he recognized but couldn't remember the names of. Well, those girls recognized him. He was Isaac, one of the four heroes from their town. Formerly someone irrelevant to them, he was now recognized by them all.

One of the girls was hanging off his left arm and the other on his right, and the last one on his back. They were all shouting things at him, "Save a dance for me, Isaac?" "But you'll dance with me first, right?" He pretended to find it flattering, but now it was just becoming an annoyance.

He forced a grin as he shook them off. "Maybe later ladies," and then he half ran to where a group of his friends were standing. He shoved his way into the group of three and with the addition of himself made a group of four.

"Whoa man," his best friend, Garet remarked. "Tired of all the ladies?" He raised the glass of beer he held and took a swig.

"They won't leave me alone," Isaac breathed as he bent his knees and tried his best to hide between the two girls who were both shorter than himself.

"I can see you're just soaking up all of the attention," the taller of the two, Jenna, spoke. She, like Garet, held a drink in her hand. She, again like Garet had known Isaac most of his life and that was probably why Isaac was able to detect the slight bitterness in her voice today.

"Loving it," he replied with noted sarcasm.

Garet smirked, "I would too. Really Isaac, be a friend and share some of them with me!"

"I'm sorry Garet," the other girl, Mia started. She shot Garet an unreadable look and continued, "You aren't exactly what most girls consider good looking."

Jenna choked on her drink in an attempt to keep herself from laughing. A few stifled coughs followed. Garet, however, did not find it as amusing. His mouth shaped into a pout. He followed with a retort, "You're just saying that because you want me."

Mia's cheeks were at that moment lined with a rosy pink blush, "N-no Garet! You're being stupid!" Isaac could tell Mia was in fact embarrassed by what Garet had said because never on any occasion would she call someone stupid, not even Garet.

Garet chuckled and threw an arm over the petite girl's shoulders, "Come on, Mia. Let's get you a drink," his chuckles continued as he led her away.

Isaac and Jenna didn't say anything at first after the two left. It didn't take long for Isaac's humor to kick in, "So…is it true?"

Jenna turned her head slightly in his direction, "Is what true?"

"What Mia said," Isaac let his serious expression be replaced by a goofy grin, "Am I really good looking?"

Jenna wrinkled her nose and shoved him. For a girl, she shoved surprisingly hard, and Isaac knew why. She had grown up with an older brother and two boys as her best friends.

"I was just asking!" Isaac smiled.

Jenna narrowed her eyes before replying, "Some of the girls call you…Vale's heartthrob. It's totally unreasonable since this isn't even Vale anymore."

Isaac did his best to ignore what she said. He hated thinking that Vale was gone. Instead he switched the topic, "What is that?" he pointed at her drink before snatching it from her hands and taking a chug. He didn't miss the expectant look on Jenna's face. Before he could question her a burning sensation erupted in his throat and he was thrown into a coughing fit. Finally he was able to make out some words, "Is that straight liquor!" His throat was still burning.

"Yes it is," Jenna smiled.

Isaac let concern spread onto his face, "Since when do you drink it without it being watered down or…at least made a little more decent?"

"Don't worry," she offered a smile, "Garet got it for me. I kind of choked on it too. And I don't think I'm taking it this way again. I can already feel my throat burning into tomorrow."

Isaac nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets, "That's good to know." He would have kept talking with her. His conversations with Jenna had become something he looked forward to every day since they had been separated. It seemed there was always something new they could tell each other about their separate journeys. So if it had been up to him, he would have stayed with her a while longer, but he noticed some of the girls in the crowd who had been bothering him before.

"Sorry Jenna," he darted behind her back, peeking over her shoulders, "I have to run!"

He released his grip on her shoulders, swiftly manoeuvring his way into the crowd. He glanced some ten feet ahead of himself, catching a glimpse of another set of girls from earlier. He broke back out of the crowd and took hold of Jenna's shoulders again, trying his best to hide behind her small frame.

"They're everywhere!" He announced in a whisper, surprised when she offered him no reply. "Jenna?"

"Deal with it, Isaac," she said. He noticed the bitterness had returned to her voice. Before he knew it, she shook his hands off and was walking in the opposite direction towards the drink table where Garet and Mia were chatting it up. Isaac slyly made his way to the table as well, questioning what exactly was going on with Jenna. She didn't seem herself today, with her cold attitude towards him. As he neared the table he felt slightly rejected when Jenna caught his eye, thus wandering off again.

He chose best not to follow her again. Isaac stopped next to Garet and Mia, noticing Mia almost looked as if she was choking. She coughed several times, making it easy for Isaac to make the guess that Garet had served her what he had served Jenna.

When her coughing ceased, she hit Garet on the arm, asking in an unusually raspy voice, "Why would you make me drink that!"

Garet chuckled, obviously finding the situation rather funny.

Isaac would have been laughing along as well, had the same thing not happened to him a few minutes ago. He waited until the pair was quiet before starting. "Do either of you two know what's wrong with Jenna? Has she been…cold to you too?"

He watched as Garet exchanged a look with Mia, both looking slightly confused. Garet shook his head, as did Mia. "She's been fine…why?"

"Because she's been acting different. Ever since I…" he stopped for a moment to think, and ended up finishing the sentence in his mind; ever since the start of the festival.

"Maybe you should go talk to her," Mia suggested.

Isaac just about shook his head, ready to say 'I already have,' but he stopped himself. He turned his head in the last direction Jenna was headed. He scanned the crowd, catching sight of her with Felix and Sheba. Another try wouldn't hurt. "I'll see you two later." He added before leaving Garet and Mia. He more or less jogged to where Jenna was grouped. He reached gently for her arm, locking looks with both Felix and Sheba. "I'm stealing her for a minute."

… …

Jenna knew who the hand on her arm belonged to before he even began talking. Since Felix was there, she resisted the urge to shake Isaac away from her once more. She gave into him and followed behind him until he stopped near the edge of the town's square. "Yes?" She looked up to him, raising a single eyebrow.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

She really did want to smile at his concern for her, yet she held it back. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. "I am. So if you don't mind-" she began to turn on her heel, ready to leave him hanging once again but was stopped by a gentle hand falling onto her shoulder, willing her to turn back to him.

"You don't seem okay. Did I do something wrong?"

She responded by shrugging her shoulders, "Nothing that I know of."

"Jenna…" he began, "I've known you for too long. I know when something's bothering you."

For a moment she pondered telling him what was eating at her. She considered his reaction, finding herself unsure as to how he would respond. She chose it was best not to tell him the real reason that she was putting up the bitter routine on him. Or rather, she chose it was the _safest _option for the moment. "Well…it's just…" she trailed off, not sure what to say next. It was easy to take the truth and twist it, so that's what she decided on doing. "Up until now, or…up until I was kidnapped, it had always been you, me and Garet. And now we're all these big heroes and people." She stopped midsentence, gesturing towards a group of girls standing close to the center of the square, "Like them are noticing us. Especially you."

She stopped, allowing Isaac the opportunity to respond to her words. When no response came, she continued. "I mean, you've got this waiting list right now of girls just waiting to dance with you. I guess I'm just a little scared that you're going to go all…supreme and forget about our infamous little trio."

"That's what's been bothering you?"

Pressing her lips together, she nodded her head. She felt slightly guilty for lying to him. Everyone knew Isaac was the last person to allow praise and compliments to go to his head. That and he sounded incredibly concerned and it killed her not to just tell him everything. That she wasn't scared of losing as a friend, but losing him as so much more. Her feelings for him were undeniable, but she couldn't yet bring herself to admit them to the one person who needed to know most - Isaac. So she settled on twisting it to be a little less life-changing.

He sighed, dropping his hand to his side. "Jenna, you know I wouldn't do that."

"I know," she replied, finding it difficult to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry for being so paranoid…and for not bringing it up sooner."

He shook his head. "Sorry for making you think I would forget you."

She allowed a tiny smile onto her face. The warm feeling she experienced hearing him say that was refreshing. She looked up to him, meeting his eye.

"How can I make it up to you?" he asked.

Typical Isaac, she thought. Of course he would look for a way to apologize for something that wasn't even his fault. She jumped on this opportunity. "I think I know of a way." She answered in a soft voice.

"And what's that?"

"Put me at the top of that waiting list." She giggled when his face broke out into a look of confusion. She took a quick glance at the festival, then looked back to Isaac. She held out a hand, offering him a full smile. "Dance with me."

The confusion on his faced drained away, being replaced by a grin. "I'd be glad to." He took her hand in his and pulled her close enough so he could place his other hand on her hip, beginning the dance.

Their first dance of many.

* * *

See, before I changed this up to be a one-shot, the second half with Jenna's point of view never happened. After Jenna first walks away from Isaac to talk with Mia and Garet, Isaac gets stopped by Felix and Sheba. They have a little conversation then suddenly there's a scream and then...I don't want to tell you the rest! All I can say is that it was originally a really dark fic, mystery & suspense kind of thing.

So even though this was all changed up, I hope you guys liked it!


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